Bummer on Chili's...

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kloquinn
kloquinn Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
Super bummed. Got a salad at Chili's tonight after looking on my phone to see how many calories it was. Unfortunately I didn't realize it was in the database about 8 different ways and only one was right. 1400 should've been the real number, not the 800 I thought it was. Thankfully I only ate half the quesadillas and half the dressing!! Feeling disgusted...
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  • sarab99
    sarab99 Posts: 134 Member
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    I know its discouraging when that happens, but its only one day and one meal. It's what happens over time that counts. :)
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
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    Aren't calories listed on the menu at most chain places? The one here has it all listed.
  • Leslietheriot
    Leslietheriot Posts: 303 Member
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    Don't be hard on yourself. Next time you know. I usually check online for the best choices before I go to a restaurant (or try to).
  • demonNIИ
    demonNIИ Posts: 187
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    happened to me the other day at Ruby Tues
  • SetecAstronomy
    SetecAstronomy Posts: 470 Member
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    Super bummed. Got a salad at Chili's tonight after looking on my phone to see how many calories it was. Unfortunately I didn't realize it was in the database about 8 different ways and only one was right. 1400 should've been the real number, not the 800 I thought it was. Thankfully I only ate half the quesadillas and half the dressing!! Feeling disgusted...
    If it's any consolation, I was also at Chili's tonight. I knew the meal was going to put me way above and beyond my calorie goal but I was starting to feel better after being sick all week. Well, I had a few bites of some cheese fries and one bite of cinnamon apples and that's all she wrote...

    Chili's is a restaurant you kind of have to look at the menu ahead of time and plan carefully. I hate that there are so many variations of the same thing in the MFP database...and in Chili's case you sort of have to go to the main website to get the 4-1-1.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    it happens, but now you know for next time. see if you can order half the salad, and the dressing on the side. i did that at appleby's last time i went. here in nyc all these fast food and chain restaurants need to post calories on their menus, so it makes things easier. check chilli's website next time too. they might have calories posted online.
  • Brendamp
    Brendamp Posts: 3 Member
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    Heck yes! It's one bad meal. You'll get past that in no time.
  • EmiliaWhite
    EmiliaWhite Posts: 19
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    I know exactly how you feel! My husband and I went to Chili's tonight too - I got their new Grilled Vegetable Tacos, and I'm a little worried because there is no nutrition info available for them yet, not even on the Chili's website.

    Going through the official Chili's nutrition info, the only other things I feel I can eat there are the Margarita Chicken and the Grilled Salmon, and those still have more sodium than I need in one meal.

    In general, their food is WAY worse for you than I realized. :/
  • C110266Chris♥
    C110266Chris♥ Posts: 154
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    I had the buffalo chicken salad minus the dressing and experienced not only the almost 900 calories but the super sodium overload. Sheesh! So much better off making our own versions at home :)))))
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    They are so sneaky with salads at restaurants. Often you'd be better off getting a burger w/o mayo, cheese, or fries.
  • kloquinn
    kloquinn Posts: 16
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    Thanks all. :) We eat out a lot so this is a good lesson learned!! Went to Cheesecake Factory and realized it's insane what they hide in food... To think all this time I was just eating it without a clue!!
  • trelm249
    trelm249 Posts: 777 Member
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    This is why I get so frustrated eating out. Deciphering the menu and pick the "good" choices still screws up the routine to a considerable extent.

    But not occasionally caving in and going with friends is interpreted as being anti-social.
  • kloquinn
    kloquinn Posts: 16
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    For us it's out of necessity - busy schedules means more eating out. Trying to eat healthy and maybe teach the kids a thing or two about navigating a menu!!
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    Yeah, i pretty well call a Chili's day a cheat day-even their "healthy" options are crazy. Not to mention the sodium, which i worry about more than the calories (the way i work out, i can have my dessert and eat it too) their black bean burger, no ranch, pickles, or tomato still sets you back over 900 calories without sides. and it's gotten tiny.

    my mom and i get chicken fajitas and ask for extra veggies, cadillac style (double beans, no rice) and don't eat tortillas. we split a single portion, and even then the calories are crazy because they drench everything in grease and butter.

    Chilis is just kind of a FAIL on healthy options. :(
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    You can never go wrong at any restaurant with either grilled steak or chicken and a side of grilled / steamed vegetables. And a small dinner salad with vinegar and oil dressing.

    That is my staple when eating out. Usually it is a sirloin steak cooked medium and grilled or steamed veggies (which ever the restaurant is offering).
  • jadeh218
    jadeh218 Posts: 36 Member
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    What a pain!!! You usually feel by ordering a salad that you are doing the right thing, not blowing your diet! I agree with others that I now plan what I'm going to eat before I go out. Means that I can enjoy myself knowing I'm not eating too many calories.
  • idcatiej22
    idcatiej22 Posts: 49 Member
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    BUT at ruby tuesday you have the option of the salad bar and you can create your own meal. you have control of the portions and what goes into your salad. they also usually have a pretty extensive amount of options. probably you're best bet.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 308 Member
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    If you need some restaurant choices that you can get a lower cal meal:

    Cheesecake Factory (!!) - Way better food than Chili's anyway and they now have a Skinnylicious menu of lower cal and rather tasty options.

    I know that Macaroni Grill has a few light chicken and fish dishes.

    The best thing to do is to stake out restaurants well in advance and know what meals are good to eat. And avoid the ones entirely that aren't worth it...like Chili's ;)
  • Jean410
    Jean410 Posts: 104
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    We all do it at some point or another and then have that sinking "oh crap" moment.

    I have been looking at the restaurant's nutrition info long before I was serious about losing weight. I go to their website to get it and I don't order it if I can't find the info. I was surprised by how many calories the kids meal has at most restaurants. I want my son to be healthy, not thin or fat. This gives me even more incentive to stay home or do my research.
  • cronus404
    cronus404 Posts: 31
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    i had the same issue at olive garden a couple weeks back. I checked the calorie content of everything i planned on getting before i went there so i knew what type of quantities i'd be able to eat and what would be completely out of the question. The only thing i didnt check was their regular house salad. i figured it couldnt be too bad. when i got home i checked just so i could enter it in my diary and came up with 1400 calories. I could have gotten fettucine alfredo for less calories. And i love their alfredo but i wanted to go with the 'healthy' choice. Theres no wonder that they were voted least healthy place to eat when a salad is 1400 cals. soup is always a good choice if you're going out to eat. Most soups are fairly low in calories and the water content helps make it more filling. Mmmm soup.

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